On Site Sanitation Case Study 03: Vacuum Flush Installations in the US and Beyond

on site sanitation case study 03: Vacuum Flush Installations in the US and Beyond

Gloskow vacuum station for a vacuum sewer system for a suburban town in Po- land. Roedigger Vacuum Systems. roevac. com

Vacuum Toilet Vacuum sewers were installed for 670 buildings along a sensitive water way along the Rhine Installations with 2 pump stations. Roedigger Vacuum Systems. roevac.com Vacuum toilets are economical choices for boats, trains, marina and cluster systems.

Vacuum Sewer Installations Small cities in Europe are finding the most economical option for addressing a cluster of failing septic tanks to be installing vacuum sewers. Conventional toilets con- nect to vacuum sewers.

A Suburban town outside of War- saw with 145,200 people installed Vacuum piping is typically less than 2” in diameter allowing construction to happen in nar- a vacuum sewer system for an row trenches along sidewalks instead of requiring road closures during construction. area of 620 square kilometers to Roedigger 2007. serve 5,600 of residents outside of town.

recode: legalizing sustainability last updated May 2012 on site sanitation case study 03: Vacuum Flush Installing in Oregon

Regulations permitting the system:

None.

Barriers to vacuum systems:

Plumbing Code Requires Gravity Drainage Where Ever Practicable. Plumbing code 709.0 Vacuum sewage is covered under IAPMO IGC 150-2009, but is not in the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code. Group 2005.

Barriers to cluster systems:

Vacuum Sewers are Not Permitted Outside Urban Growth Boundary 660-011-0060 Sewer Service to Rural Lands and Rule 11 As vacuum systems are usually cost effective only for 2 or more house- holds, they would classify as “sewer systems” and would not be permitted outside urban growth boundaries without a determination from the DEQ that there is “no practicable alternative” to abate a public health hazard, and the connected structures existed prior to 1998.

An Acorn/EVAC vacuum system has been installed at The Wilsonville Women’s Prison and Intake facility (Interpretive Ruling 97-6). http://www.bcd.oregon.gov/programs/plumbing/interps/97-6.pdf

Vacuum Toilets Can Not be Connected to Composting System 340-071-0320 Split Waste Method Currently only non-water carried systems (compost and oil flush toilets) are approved for split waste methods. The low-water flush of a vacuum system would not qualify if connected to a non-water carried treatment system, such as a composting system.

Barriers to ultra low flow blackwater systems:

Vacuum Flush Effluent is more Concentrated, Requiring Special Permits Vacuum flush toilets use 1/5 the water of ultra low flow toilets, which means the blackwater is less diluted, potentially lowering treatment costs. However less diluted blackwater could cause it to be considered higher than residential strength blackwater. Wostman Ecology Vacuum Flush toilets “Ecovac” with and without urine diversion. Pump is located outside. Pump uses about 4 kwh/year. Uses 0.2 liters/flush.

recode: legalizing sustainability last updated May 2012 on site sanitation case study 03: Vacuum Flush + Anaerobic Digester

Anaerobic Digester Explained (Adapted from Tilley et al 73-74). An Anaerobic Biogas Reactor is a means of treating water carried waste that produces (a) a digested slurry that requires further treatment to be used as a soil amendment and (b) biogas which can be used for energy. Biogas is a mix of methane, carbon dioxide and other trace gasses that can be converted to electricity, light and heat. Also known as ‘biogas plant, anaerobic digester, anaerobic biogas reactor (ABR).

Anaerobic digesters are air less tanks above ground or below ground where blackwater is collected an allowed to sit while bacteria already present in the liquid reproduce and produce methane which is siphoned off. The retention time in the air less tank ranges from 15 to 60 days depending on temperature and activity of bacteria in the system.

Operation and Maintenance: Tank should be stirred weekly to encourage mixing of new waste with old waste. Grit and sand that have settled to the bottom should be removed yearly.

Pros & Cons: + Generation of a renewable, valuable energy source + Underground construction minimizes land use + Long life span + No electrical energy required + Small land area required (most of the structure can be built underground) - Requires expert design, skilled construction and operation oversight. - Gas production below 15°C is not economically feasible Illustration by Paolo Monaco for Eawag- - Digested sludge and effluent still requires treatment Sandec.

Citations Dometic Sanitation. Phone Interview. 1 May 2012. On-site Sanitation Case Study 03: Jenssen, Petter. Ecosan -Projects with Norwegian connections. The Nor- Vacuum Flush +Anaerobic Digester wegian University of Life Sciences. DWA-BMZ-GTZ Symposium, Neue Recode 2012 Sanitärkonzepte (ecosan), Eschborn October 26. 2006 Authors: Molly Danielsson and Peter-Fröhlich, Bonhomme, Oldenburg, 2007. “Sanitation Concepts for Mathew Lippincott Separate treatment of Urine, Faeces, and Greywater (SCST)- Results. Ber- Project Manager: Melora Golden lin: Kompentzzentrum Wasser Berlin. < http://www.susana.org/docs_ccbk/ Funded by the Bullitt Foundation susana_download/2-1364-scstfinalreport501.pdf> This work is licensed under the Tilley, Elizabeth, Christoph Lüthi, Antoine Morel, Chris Zurbrügg and Creative Commons Roland Schertenleib. Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies. Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unport- Dübendorf, Switzerland, Eawag/Sandec: Geneva, Switzerland, Water Sup- ed License 2012. ply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC). 2008. This document is available from www.RecodeOregon.org UK portable vacuum systems: http://www.flexiloofirst.co.uk/gallery.php

recode: legalizing sustainability last updated May 2012 on site sanitation case study 04: recode Septic Tank + Urine Diversion

Household with urine diversion and options for treatment after septic. Illustration by Avlopps Guide AB. www.avloppsguiden.se How it Works Costs

In Use: The toilet bowl is designed to capture liquid coming in from the Installation* front and hold it in a tank for separate treatment from feces and flush wa- New: $12,600-18,600 ter. Men cannot stand up to pee, waterless urinals recommended. (installation + toilet, septic tank, urine tank and sand User Responsibilities: Instruct small children to sit back on the toilet and filter) not perch on the lip. Don’t let the urine diverting plate clog up. Urine pipes must be rinsed occasionally (every 3-4 months) with hot water & Retrofit: $3,900-6,500 vinegar to remove mineral build-up from pipes. (installation, toilet and urine tank) Operations and Maintenance: The system must be pumped at regular inter- vals, based on the size of the holding tank (usually once a year). O&M: $150-300/year for once a year pumping of Can the homeowner do it or is a professional needed? Homeowner can urine and septic tank rinse out pipes if trained or provided educational materials. *All numbers based on Swed- Benefits ish prices as of 2006 includ- ing 25% tax. Avloppsguiden. • Low cost method to meet the strictest nitrate reduction standards in se effluent. • Can be added to an existing septic system Land Required: 10’ x 10’ (ap- • Urine can be applied directly to land as an effective fertilizer because proximate space for a 1,500 to it is mostly sterile and a low 2,000 gallon tank for a family disease risk. of 5

Quantity: of urine produced by Treatment a family of 5 (est. 32 gallons per Can it meet La Pine limits? week) about 1,664 gallons per year Yes (von Muench 2011).

$ Value as a fertilizer: Less than Wostman Ecology “EcoDry” urine divert- $200/year for a family of 4 ing toilet pedestal. Photo by Wostman Ecology AB.

recode: legalizing sustainability last updated May 2012